Royal Cafe

117 South Summit Street

A one-story stone building was built in the late 1890s or early 1900s at 117 S. Summit St.

A restaurant operated in the north half of the building and a saloon occupied the south half.

In 1912, a barbershop replaced the saloon, and by 1920, the entire building was a restaurant. In June 1922, C.R. and H.H. Rawlings, a father and son, came to Ark City and opened the Royal Café at this location.

It was described by The Arkansas City Traveler as a “fine eating house” that was furnished with $6,000 worth of equipment, including a counter, stools to accommodate 22 persons and 10 tables; all told, the restaurant had a seating capacity of 75. Its wall equipment included a 16-foot range and steam table, and a refrigerator system to cool milk, water and foods requiring ice. Seven ceiling fans were installed to keep the establishment cool.

The restaurant was one of five hotels and restaurants in Ark City that were honored by the Kansas Hotel Commissioner with the Red Seal for providing clean, wholesome food in sanitary and safe surroundings.

Unfortunately, the Royal Café closed in 1927 after five years of operation and owner H.H. Rawlings moved the business to Hutchinson. But by the early 1950s, Raymond Smith opened Smith Jewelry at 117 S. Summit St. and continued in business until the early 1970s.

In 1972, Jess Kindred and his wife Nancy bought the store. The Kindreds’ first occupation was a construction company called Kindred Construction.

Jess had his start in the jewelry business by repairing watches at home before he and Nancy purchased the downtown store. Kindred Jewelry actually came about when another Ark City jeweler, Loren Grimes, hired Jess to work on clocks at Grimes’ first store on East Fifth Avenue. Jess took a correspondence course to learn more about watch repair and his interest was piqued. Jess died in 2005 and Nancy closed the shop the following year after 33 years in business downtown.

The building, whose variety in design defines this commercial vernacular structure, is constructed of native rock-faced limestone with ornate carved detailing.

It includes alternating horizontal bands above the storefront, including a row of small arches resembling a blind balustrade on the cornice. Stone piers framing the building include classical components with a plain column shaft and base that transition to local rusticated rock-face stones on the upper third and terminate with an arched cap.